The present invention relates to ski release bindings in general and in particular to ski release side clamping bindings of the type disclosed and described in applicant's U.S. Pat. Nos. Re. 26,972 and 3,606,370.
Referring to U.S. Pat. No. Re. 26,972 and in particular to the embodiments disclosed and described with respect to FIGS. 7-10 and 17-21, there is provided respectively a pair of jaw members 240 and 540. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,370 there is provided a pair of jaw members 6. In each of the embodiments the jaw members are coupled to a means for resiliently releasably clamping a ski boot between the jaw members. In U.S. Pat. No. Re. 26,972 the clamping means is designated generally as 16 and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,370 the clamping means is designated generally as 7.
In the patents and in particular the embodiments referred to above, the jaw members in a releasing condition and in particular, during a rotational release, are caused to move outwardly relative to a housing in which they are movably mounted. In no case, however, does either of the jaw members in any pair move entirely out of the plane of movement of a ski boot clamped therebetween. During a release involving longitudinal movement of a ski boot relative to a ski or heel lifting movement of a ski boot relative to a ski, the presence of the jaw members along the sides of the ski boot presents no problem by way of an obstruction or impediment to the movement. During a rotational release, however, the presence of the jaw members is found to present a potential obstruction of the jaw members with the side of the ski boot.